Did you know that human-elephant conflict is rife in certain parts of Namibia? Yes, the powerful pachyderms are targeted and harassed. Some years ago, this conflict led to the potential demise of a herd of elephants. Times were critical for these magnificent and beautifully sentient creatures. In a bid to save their lives the Naankuse Foundation translocated a family herd to the protected and lush expanses of the 33,500-hectare TimBila Nature Reserve by Naankuse. Here the herd soon calmed, no longer facing abuse and abject bullying. Now living at peace, the magnificent animals have fully settled, little ones being born to the herd.
And look what we recently sighted! Merry mud baths for the herd – the calves more than content with the splashy play.
From persecution to peace. That’s a conservation success story.